Water jet propulsion vehicles, such as jet boats and personal watercraft, use a jet drive which creates a strong stream of water projected toward the rear of the vehicle through an impeller, therefore propelling the vehicle forward. A steering nozzle provided rearward of the impeller allows the craft operator to steer the vehicle by directing the nozzle left and right, which in turn changes the direction of the water stream and therefore the direction of the vehicle itself. Typically, the steering nozzle is also movable vertically to balance the ship. This vertical control is referred to as the VTS (Vertical Trim System).
Some water jet propulsion vehicles can also travel in the reverse direction through the provision of a reverse gate. The reverse gate is a loop which can be lowered over the steering nozzle, sending the water stream forward of the vehicle and therefore propelling it rearward. While this feature can be useful in some circumstances, on a traditional jet propulsion watercraft it is not designed to be used to slow down or stop the vehicle and it could in some instances be dangerous to use it for either one of these purposes, especially in the case of personal watercraft.
There is a need in the industry for an improved control of the stability of personal watercraft or the like. It would also be advantageous to provide such vehicles with new or improved functions such as braking or a neutral.